So, I just discovered that iTunes is now selling vast numbers of classic Doctor Who episodes. It's only by virtue of being completely broke that I haven't gone crazy and started downloading like mad.
Somehow I'm going to have to come up with a way to see all of these. Seriously, this is like my childhood returning in full force. Maybe if I strictly ration myself to one episode arc a week...
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
My head is NAKED!
Look how short my hair is!
I'm still kind of in shock. I think it's a good kind of shock, though.
Monday, August 18, 2008
We control all that you see and hear
I've recently rediscovered the Outer Limits. This little gem from my late childhood is coming to me thanks to the ever-wonderful Sci-fi channel. They've been doing mini-marathons about once a week, which has been keeping me well-stocked thanks to the wonders of DVR.
There are several things that I like about the Outer Limits. First of all, it's deliciously campy. You get aliens, fairy tale monsters, and divine intervention, all in one show. That brings me to the second thing that I love about it. Every episode is a completely fresh story (with some loosely connecting every once in a while). I think that more shows should follow this example. While overarching story lines can be compelling, there's really something to be said for starting with a clean slate each time. It also means they can vary the setting, although the vast majority feature the present or the near future.
They also had some pretty awesome guest actors. I just finished watching an episode where Neil Patrick Harris played a mentally disabled (although shockingly good at problem solving when the story required it) young man in a town infested by brain-eating slugs. (Did I mention it was campy?) Also, as it turns out, I'm kind of in love with Neil Patrick Harris. Another episode had Malcolm from Firefly (aka Captain Tight-Pants.)
Now, I have a few issues with it, mainly, to be honest, regarding how they portray scientific research. Somehow, the nation is plagued by mad scientists who make giant strides in knowledge without any supporting research at all. I can handle pseudoscience, but this is a bit ridiculous. Plus, it always seems to go wrong in a completely predictable way. (Unless it goes right, which does happen occasionally.)
On a side-note, 90s fashion and standards of beauty were HILARIOUS.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Belated Lollapalooza Blog: Day 1
So my original plan was to write about my Lollapalooza experiences every night after the festival. Well, we can see how well that went, considering how it ended three days ago.
So anyway, Lollapalooza. This year turned out to be a testament to how some music lends itself to live performances much better than other music.
12:00 - I show up at the gates. Big mistake, considering how this is exactly when the music begins and everybody and their mother is lining up to get into the park. While I'm in line, I put on my first coat of sunscreen and discover that Banana Boat makes my eyes burn like a bitch.
1:00 - I finally get into the festival and make my way over to Rogue Wave. Lesson #1: pleasant indie pop does not lend itself to particularly exciting live shows. Especially when the next stage over is three times as loud as you and makes life really distracting.
1:45 - I give up on Rogue Wave and head over to The Go! Team. By this point I've lost my shirt and put on my second coat of sunscreen. My eyes burn even more and my lips start to kick in too.
2:15 - The Go! Team starts and I decide that I totally need to own a pair of rainbow knee socks, and maybe then I'll learn to rap and sound like a spastic cheerleader at the same time.
3ish - Laura and Mike have showed up and we head over to see the Kills. Then I learn that minimalist blues-punk really doesn't lend itself to live shows. Laura and Mike give up after 15 minutes, and I stay just long enough to hear No Wow, which was the only redeeming part of their performance. Whatever, I still love them.
4ish - I wander around for a while and manage to catch Duffy singing "Mercy." I think I was too quick to judge her, I think she has some genuine talent. That voice still gets on my nerves, though.
5:15 - CAT POWER!!! I would consider going straight for Chan Marshall. However, I feel a little sorry for her because her voice sounds like it's a hairsbreadth away from giving out. You don't wanna end up like Janis Joplin, girl. I don't know if it's smoking or overuse or what, but be careful. Oh well, it sounds awesome regardless.
6:15-7:00 - I think this is when I ate? Who knows, it's all kind of a blur.
7:00 - CSS. Now, I enjoy them quite a bit. However, let's face it. The lead singer is batshit crazy, and can't sing anything near in tune. If she took some lessons, and learned to stay away from spandex bodysuits, they might be awesome.
8:00 - Radiohead. *Snore*. Sure, I can appreciate them, but...I'm not in love. I can handle Thom Yorke's voice for about 10 minutes before it starts putting me to sleep. I seem to remember I spent most of this time sitting on Laura's blanket and talking.
9:30ish - We caught the six home and I stated about 4 times that I was showering first thing when I got home. Well, two rum-and-cokes later, I gave up on that idea and passed the hell out. All in all, it was a good first day. And I didn't get sunburned!!!
So anyway, Lollapalooza. This year turned out to be a testament to how some music lends itself to live performances much better than other music.
12:00 - I show up at the gates. Big mistake, considering how this is exactly when the music begins and everybody and their mother is lining up to get into the park. While I'm in line, I put on my first coat of sunscreen and discover that Banana Boat makes my eyes burn like a bitch.
1:00 - I finally get into the festival and make my way over to Rogue Wave. Lesson #1: pleasant indie pop does not lend itself to particularly exciting live shows. Especially when the next stage over is three times as loud as you and makes life really distracting.
1:45 - I give up on Rogue Wave and head over to The Go! Team. By this point I've lost my shirt and put on my second coat of sunscreen. My eyes burn even more and my lips start to kick in too.
2:15 - The Go! Team starts and I decide that I totally need to own a pair of rainbow knee socks, and maybe then I'll learn to rap and sound like a spastic cheerleader at the same time.
3ish - Laura and Mike have showed up and we head over to see the Kills. Then I learn that minimalist blues-punk really doesn't lend itself to live shows. Laura and Mike give up after 15 minutes, and I stay just long enough to hear No Wow, which was the only redeeming part of their performance. Whatever, I still love them.
4ish - I wander around for a while and manage to catch Duffy singing "Mercy." I think I was too quick to judge her, I think she has some genuine talent. That voice still gets on my nerves, though.
5:15 - CAT POWER!!! I would consider going straight for Chan Marshall. However, I feel a little sorry for her because her voice sounds like it's a hairsbreadth away from giving out. You don't wanna end up like Janis Joplin, girl. I don't know if it's smoking or overuse or what, but be careful. Oh well, it sounds awesome regardless.
6:15-7:00 - I think this is when I ate? Who knows, it's all kind of a blur.
7:00 - CSS. Now, I enjoy them quite a bit. However, let's face it. The lead singer is batshit crazy, and can't sing anything near in tune. If she took some lessons, and learned to stay away from spandex bodysuits, they might be awesome.
8:00 - Radiohead. *Snore*. Sure, I can appreciate them, but...I'm not in love. I can handle Thom Yorke's voice for about 10 minutes before it starts putting me to sleep. I seem to remember I spent most of this time sitting on Laura's blanket and talking.
9:30ish - We caught the six home and I stated about 4 times that I was showering first thing when I got home. Well, two rum-and-cokes later, I gave up on that idea and passed the hell out. All in all, it was a good first day. And I didn't get sunburned!!!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Nananananananana Nananananananana BATMAN!
God I loved that TV show as a child. Anyhoo, I saw the Dark Knight last night. And...I think maybe I should reserve judgment until I can see it under less extenuating circumstances. First of all, we got there late and had to sit in the front row. Not the best way to watch an extremely long and action-packed film. Also, I had the hangover from hell (and at least partially undeserved. I won't deny that I drank more than I should have, but I didn't drink THAT much.)
Anyway...it was long. It was REALLY long. And I have no problem with long movies (Return of the King, for example...awesome.) However, I think that the killing stroke was the fact that it had too many climaxes and resolutions. One crisis was averted, then the Joker got away and started a new plot, then killed somebody else, and there was a new crisis, and on and on. I honestly expected the movie to end an hour before it did. I think this is why I tend to prefer dramatic TV shows to movies, because the serial nature makes it much easier to create a drawn-out complex plot without boring people. Unfortunately, they also tend to be much lower budget because they necessarily bring in much less profit. (unless they can pick up a cult following and make a killing on DVD sales, like Firefly or Buffy)
Now, the characterizations...priceless. Heath Ledger was f'in AMAZING. Now, I'll always have a special place in my heart for Jack Nicholson as the Joker, but Heath brought it to a whole new level. He's the sort of villain that has no reason, no motivation, he just loves to create chaos. He actually wasn't as frightening as I expected him to be (although somebody in the theater did yelp when he popped out of the passenger seat of a dump truck to shoot somebody) but instead brought a sort of manic creepiness to the role. I think that the difference between the two characterizations can be summed up by their origins: In the original, the Joker was a hired thug who lost everything when his boss turned on him and left him for dead. He had a grudge, and while he was pretty crazy, he at least acted human. In the Dark Knight, the Joker just sprang out of nowhere, with no history, no known motivation, and no discernible emotion except for manic glee. The idea that somebody could be so inhuman for no known reason is what makes him so damn terrifying.
Anyway...it was long. It was REALLY long. And I have no problem with long movies (Return of the King, for example...awesome.) However, I think that the killing stroke was the fact that it had too many climaxes and resolutions. One crisis was averted, then the Joker got away and started a new plot, then killed somebody else, and there was a new crisis, and on and on. I honestly expected the movie to end an hour before it did. I think this is why I tend to prefer dramatic TV shows to movies, because the serial nature makes it much easier to create a drawn-out complex plot without boring people. Unfortunately, they also tend to be much lower budget because they necessarily bring in much less profit. (unless they can pick up a cult following and make a killing on DVD sales, like Firefly or Buffy)
Now, the characterizations...priceless. Heath Ledger was f'in AMAZING. Now, I'll always have a special place in my heart for Jack Nicholson as the Joker, but Heath brought it to a whole new level. He's the sort of villain that has no reason, no motivation, he just loves to create chaos. He actually wasn't as frightening as I expected him to be (although somebody in the theater did yelp when he popped out of the passenger seat of a dump truck to shoot somebody) but instead brought a sort of manic creepiness to the role. I think that the difference between the two characterizations can be summed up by their origins: In the original, the Joker was a hired thug who lost everything when his boss turned on him and left him for dead. He had a grudge, and while he was pretty crazy, he at least acted human. In the Dark Knight, the Joker just sprang out of nowhere, with no history, no known motivation, and no discernible emotion except for manic glee. The idea that somebody could be so inhuman for no known reason is what makes him so damn terrifying.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Quick comment
Also, this season of Project Runway's designers all suck balls. I didn't like a single outfit that they put out this week. And you'd think that for a cocktail dress challenge, a lot of them would at least be cute...but no. Not so much.
Lions and tigers and........oh my
So my iTunes store addiction has moved on to TV shows. They make it so easy....to go broke. My latest indiscretions involve Tin Man (the SciFi channel's "adaptation" of the Wizard of Oz) and the pilot of the Terminator TV show.
First things first: Tin Man - awesome idea, excellent character concepts...terrible execution. Now don't get me wrong, it's definitely one of the best things the SciFi channel's ever done...but that's not saying much. This is the channel that brought us Atomic Twister, the movie about a tornado that sucked up a nuclear power plant to become a super radioactive tornado, and this weekend is premiering Anaconda 3, because so many people watched the first two.
Let's start on a positive note and talk about the things that I loved about Tin Man. First of all, they took just about the right amount of guidance from the original story. And by that, I mean not very much. If they had done a faithful retelling, they'd have to deal with a whole bunch of people bitching that they ruined a classic. However, they picked up elements of character design and concepts and made them completely their own, and updated them to be more realistic. The character design for the "Scarecrow" and "Tin Man" especially appealed to me. Also, the wicked witch was FABULOUS. She channeled just the right amount of crazy fierceness, and a certain amount of tranny corsets and makeup.
Now, on to things I didn't like so much. First of all, Zooey Deschanel bugs the crap out of me.
I think it's a combination of her permanently wide-eyed look and her low semi-deadpan voice, but there just seems to be something wrong about her acting. I must say, though, she was a good pick for the role of DG (their version of Dorothy) because her brand of weirdness kind of worked for the role. There's enough wide-eyed innocence and confusion inherent in the way that she acts that fit the characterization. Another thing I couldn't stand was the crappy storyline. I mean, a misfit post-teenage girl gets thrown into another world, where she discovers that she's a magical princess and has to fulfill a prophecy? Come on, every nerdy junior high girl EVER has written the exact same storyline, and I think that it would have been better if they'd stayed a little closer to the original, where she was picked up by complete chance and thrown into a strange world. And the fact that the evil witch was her sister who's actually good but was possessed for years by an ancient spirit? boooring. It would have been much better if she were just crazy, I think. Or at the very least, that she ended up twisted instead of everything turning out beautifully once the evil witch was dispelled (by the magical power of love, no less. barf.)
Also, the world design started really well...but whoa, they tried to do way too much. Somehow it's futuristic, Western, 1920s, and magical all at the same time? Seriously guys, pick a theme or two and work with them. Don't try to cram all your ideas into one thing.
Next, I'll probably talk about the Sarah Connor chronicles, and how poor Summer Glau is going to be typecast forever. Moving from crazy teenage assassin to crazy teenage assassin robot...not exactly the biggest display of acting range. I'm just sayin'.
First things first: Tin Man - awesome idea, excellent character concepts...terrible execution. Now don't get me wrong, it's definitely one of the best things the SciFi channel's ever done...but that's not saying much. This is the channel that brought us Atomic Twister, the movie about a tornado that sucked up a nuclear power plant to become a super radioactive tornado, and this weekend is premiering Anaconda 3, because so many people watched the first two.
Let's start on a positive note and talk about the things that I loved about Tin Man. First of all, they took just about the right amount of guidance from the original story. And by that, I mean not very much. If they had done a faithful retelling, they'd have to deal with a whole bunch of people bitching that they ruined a classic. However, they picked up elements of character design and concepts and made them completely their own, and updated them to be more realistic. The character design for the "Scarecrow" and "Tin Man" especially appealed to me. Also, the wicked witch was FABULOUS. She channeled just the right amount of crazy fierceness, and a certain amount of tranny corsets and makeup.
Now, on to things I didn't like so much. First of all, Zooey Deschanel bugs the crap out of me.
I think it's a combination of her permanently wide-eyed look and her low semi-deadpan voice, but there just seems to be something wrong about her acting. I must say, though, she was a good pick for the role of DG (their version of Dorothy) because her brand of weirdness kind of worked for the role. There's enough wide-eyed innocence and confusion inherent in the way that she acts that fit the characterization. Another thing I couldn't stand was the crappy storyline. I mean, a misfit post-teenage girl gets thrown into another world, where she discovers that she's a magical princess and has to fulfill a prophecy? Come on, every nerdy junior high girl EVER has written the exact same storyline, and I think that it would have been better if they'd stayed a little closer to the original, where she was picked up by complete chance and thrown into a strange world. And the fact that the evil witch was her sister who's actually good but was possessed for years by an ancient spirit? boooring. It would have been much better if she were just crazy, I think. Or at the very least, that she ended up twisted instead of everything turning out beautifully once the evil witch was dispelled (by the magical power of love, no less. barf.)
Also, the world design started really well...but whoa, they tried to do way too much. Somehow it's futuristic, Western, 1920s, and magical all at the same time? Seriously guys, pick a theme or two and work with them. Don't try to cram all your ideas into one thing.
Next, I'll probably talk about the Sarah Connor chronicles, and how poor Summer Glau is going to be typecast forever. Moving from crazy teenage assassin to crazy teenage assassin robot...not exactly the biggest display of acting range. I'm just sayin'.
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